You’re not the only one. I found two docs on Netflix that got me started. One is a documentary about the anonymous hactivists, in which the tale of their battle with Scientology is related. The monster didn’t die there, though. The second documentary is called “Going Clear”, which is a scathing indictment of the cult and their leader, David Miscavidge. Details of their inner workings and higher ups, as well as a ton of testimony from their escaped victims give tons of fodder for further research.

Simply put, their movement gained momentum in the early 80’s. Eighties kids will remember when the book “Dianetics” was advertised on tv with an 800 number to call. It’s attraction was like a self-help or pop psychology philosophy, but of course, upon reading the book, it is revealed to be a patently absurd treatice of science fiction. The core belief of the cult is that humans civilization arose upon this planet AFTER other intelligent civilizations died out. There was an interplanetary war, and the alien spirits of the casualties, called ‘Thetons’ are still here, infecting our psyches. These Thetons are maddened and unstable from there defeat at the hands of the victorious enemy aliens, the Psychlos (the antagonists in Hubbard’s movie “Battlefield Earth”, by the way), compounded by millennia of incorporeality. The influence of the Thetons causes most of humanities problems. Our joy and success comes from momentarily escaping the Thetons, but they inevitably return. Enter Scientology: they have a technique and the technology to suck the Thetons out of a person. Coupled with intense therapy and recorded confessionals, Scientologist technicians keep their believes happy and functioning.

There is a strategy at work in the organization that seems to be particularly effective for actors. When an aspiring actor joins the cult, they get support in the form of affirmative ego boosting, which is especially helpful in battling the rconstant rejection of trying out for role after role. The organization labels this melancholia as ‘Thetonic Influence’. As the aspiring actor begins to achieve success, their constant brainwashing and recorded hypnosis sessions gets all of their personal flaws and foibles out, which the organization keeps on file for later blackmail. When the actor achieves success, half of their earnings or more may be demanded by the cult, which also moves into their personal life, directing relationships, family and everything.

Two types of people join. Aspiring artists that see the organization as a springboard to success, and seedy manipulators that see it as a leverage to get money and power from the other group.

Joe Rogan (a comedian/youtuber) has a channel and a few videos where he interviews Leah Remini, a brave and outspoken escapee of the cult.

There is a famous story about how agents of Scientology brazenly walked into the IRS and laid hands on boxes of files pertaining to them and their cultists. Apparently they had leverage on som higher ups within the IRS, which allowed them to escape with their documents unscathed. I don’t remember the details, but it’s something crazy like that.

Within the inner core of the leadership of Scientology, there is apparently a Luciferian pedo cult that continues to operate (pizzagate). L Ron’s son has been discussed here on voat, along with tons of details about this.